


Earth ain't so bad

by adamance



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha Jensen, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, M/M, Omega Jared
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-02-22 08:46:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2501693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adamance/pseuds/adamance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared, an omega from an old, rich family, has been brought up in a gilded cage: he’s had everything he could want, except freedom. Now, nearing his eighteenth birthday, when his mating with a suitable alpha will be arranged by his family, he decides to indulge in a single, reckless one-night stand: he may have to spend the rest of his life forced to conform to society’s rules, but he’s damned if his first knotting is going to happen any other way but by his own choice.</p><p>Naturally, things don’t go exactly as planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The bar is dark and smoky, exactly as Jared had wanted it to be. He isn’t a fool: he’s had this place scoped out for ages as _the_ place, the one where he’d get knotted for the first time. It’s the first time he’s actually been inside, but Gen and Chad checked it out for him and he knows he can trust his friends’ judgment.

His friends aren't happy about the situation, but they're going along with it. They’re Jared’s best friends, and have been since they were all little. All of them from wealthy families, they’d met at school, quickly forming a little clique of their own that had lasted for well over a decade now. As an omega, Jared hadn’t been entitled to a public school education, but his family, although traditional in some ways, had recognized that he needed an education and sent him to an exclusive private school that only the very very rich could afford, one that didn’t distinguish among genders: which was how a loud-mouthed beta (Chad, of course), an extremely short-tempered but fiercely loyal alpha (Genevieve) and a bookish omega with a hidden rebellious streak (that would be Jared) had formed an unlikely trio.

His friends are waiting for Jared in the van outside. Jared had warned them that it would take a while—he wanted to relish every moment of his stolen freedom—but they’d insisted they’d wait. They’d also insisted he call them if anything went wrong. He knows they’ll break into the rented room if necessary and come to his rescue, although the thought makes him want to snort. He’s taller than either of them, and probably physically stronger (although Gen’s tiny frame belies her alpha-strength).

Taking a deep breath, he takes a seat at one of the bar stools and pushes the hood of his jacket off his head, displaying the luxurious dark hair that falls in silky waves to his shoulders.

“What’ll it be?” the bartender yells over the pounding music.

“Uh—surprise me?” Jared doesn’t really want to get drunk. That’s not what he’s here for. But he figures one drink will settle his nerves a bit.

A minute later, a tall glass is slid across the counter to him. A mojito. 

“Nice, thanks!” he yells, lifting his glass.

The bartender flashes him a grin before turning away to attend to another customer. If the guy wasn’t at work, Jared’s pretty sure he might have tried his luck with the man. Jared’s six feet tall—and still growing, at seventeen—and this guy might have an inch or two on him. Impressive. His dark blond hair is sticking up in soft-looking spikes, and even in the dim light, his eyes are stunningly green. He’s wearing tight jeans and a tighter t-shirt with a Zeppelin decal on it. Everything about him screams alpha.

“Hey there.” Jared’s distracted from his alpha-gazing by a smooth, cultured voice. He turns around on his stool to see a distinguished-looking man in a suit sliding into the seat next to him. “Mind if I take a seat?”

He’s already taken a seat, so Jared just shrugs. The guy’s wearing an expensive cologne that smells pretty good, and his hair is graying at the temples. “I’m Alan,” he says, giving Jared a nod. He’s clearly an alpha, and is observing the common etiquette: he doesn’t offer a handshake.

“Jay,” Jared says.

“What say we talk in one of the booths?” Alan suggests. “It would be quieter.”

Jared shrugs again. “Sure.” At any other time he’d have declined, but he isn’t really planning on saying ‘no’ tonight. Unless the guy turns out to be a real douche or something.

He picks up his drink and follows the alpha down the aisle and into the back, where a series of private booths are lined up against the walls. They aren’t meant for fucking; this isn’t that sort of place. There are rooms available by the night on the floor above, no questions asked, and Jared’s already had Chad pay for one of them. He gets half-hard as he thinks about it, getting off on what he’s planned for himself tonight.

Alan courteously allows Jared to enter first, and then slides into the seat beside him. It’s one of those semi-circular tables. The door shuts with a soft click behind them, and the music is immediately muted.

“So, Jay.” Alan smiles. “An unmated omega on his own in a place like this – guess everyone knows what you’re here for.” 

Jared raises his eyebrows. “Are _you_ unmated?”

Alan laughs softly. “Does it matter? I hardly think you’re here looking for a _mate_.” His hand lands on Jared’s knee, giving it a squeeze.

Jared tries not to let his hesitation show on his face. On the one hand, this man is offering him exactly what he’s here for: a quick, anonymous fuck. On the other, he’d expected to have an least a little bit of chemistry with the alpha he chose tonight, but there are absolutely zero sparks between him and this guy. For all his obvious wealth, there’s something decidedly oily about his tone. 

The man’s hand slides up Jared’s thigh, and before he’s even thought it out, he’s getting to his feet. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is going to work. Sorry.” He shoves the door open and takes a huge breath when he’s out in the aisle again.

OK, so the first one didn’t work out. Jared wasn’t brought up to be a quitter. He goes into the washroom, intending to splash some water on his face and get back out there.

What he isn’t prepared for is the sound of a bolt sliding into the lock behind him. He whirls around from the sink, water still dripping from his face, to find Alan there, a sneer on his face that distorts his distinguished features.

“You little bitch. You’re going to regret that.” The alpha’s hand goes to the tie around his neck, and starts unknotting it.

Jared lets out an incredulous laugh. “Dude, what century are you living in? Get the fuck out of my way.”

Before Jared can even take his next breath, the alpha’s knee jerks up into Jared’s groin, making him gasp in pain. The man’s hand is twisted in Jared’s hair in an instant, slamming Jared’s head against the wooden door of the nearest stall. He’s thrown to the floor, dazed and barely conscious, and his arms are yanked roughly behind his back before behind bound tightly with the alpha’s tie. “You wanted to get fucked, bitch. Now shut up and take it like a good little slut.”


	2. Chapter 2

Jared lifts his head and tries to scream – fuck it, alpha strength is a lot greater than he’d expected – but the man hits him again, smashing an elbow into Jared’s ribs and making him wheeze in pain. Before he can try to cry out again, a wadded-up handkerchief is forced into his mouth, stifling him. 

Jared struggles for all he’s worth, but the alpha’s sitting on his legs, and there isn’t much Jared can do with his hands bound and his mouth gagged. He hears a ripping sound – he’d worn his tightest black slacks for the occasion – and his pants are torn open. The alpha lets out a delighted laugh when he sees that Jared has gone commando. A hard slap lands on his naked ass. “Fuck, you slutty little whore. You do this often?” A dry thumb rubs against Jared’s hole. He screams into the gag, his head throbbing, more full of rage and helplessness than he’s ever been before. 

His fury gives him renewed strength – his tall frame doesn’t hurt either – and he twists under his attacker, managing to throw him off. Someone’s banging on the locked door from the outside, making Jared’s head pound even worse. He backs up against the wall and drags himself to his feet, his movements impeded by his pants around his thighs. The alpha lunges for him again, eyes gone feral with lust, but before he can do more than grab Jared by the lapels, the door’s kicked open.

It’s the green-eyed bartender, the alpha whom Jared had thought was too busy to pay him any real attention. “I told you what would happen if I caught you messing around in this bar again,” he says. 

“Messing around?” Alan sneers. “Come on, you saw the bitch. He was practically begging for it.”

The bartender looks at Jared. “You ask him for this?”

Jared stares back for a moment, incredulous. He’s gagged and his hands are bound and his clothes torn, to say nothing of the blood trickling from a cut just below his hairline. He shakes his head, his heart beginning to sink at the thought that maybe this is just some alpha code that the two other men are conforming to; maybe the bartender’s just here for appearances’ sake.

Alan lets out a laugh. “Don’t pay him any attention. He’s a kinky little fucker, is all. Wanted to be tied and roughed up a bit.”

“Be that as it may, Alan, I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises.”

“Aww, come on! I was just having a bit of fun. No harm done.” Alan gives the other alpha a wink. “You can join in if you like – what say?”

“Get out. I won’t ask again.”

There’s absolute silence for a moment. Then Alan spits on the floor and walks out without a word.

“Turn around.”

Jared hesitates, and the bartender makes an impatient sound. “I’m just gonna untie you, kid.”

A minute later, Jared’s sitting on the closed lid of one of the toilets, rubbing his wrists. The bartender hands him a couple of wet paper towels, which Jared holds up against the cut on his temple.

“How old are you? Sixteen?”

“Seventeen,” Jared rasps.

“I’m guessing you didn’t come here looking to be raped in a toilet stall?”

Jared winces. “No.”

“You have a ride home?”

Jared nods.

“Show me.”

Jared gets to his feet. His pants are torn but he can still button them up, and he hopes his coat covers the back. The alpha doesn’t offer him a hand, but just stands there looking at Jared, his face expressionless.

His face burning, Jared leads him out through the back into the parking lot where Gen’s jeep waits in a corner. She and Chad are in the front seat.

The alpha yanks open the back door and shoves Jared inside.

“What the hell—” Chad begins.

“Get out of here,” the alpha says, putting his hand on the roof of the car and leaning down so his hard, no-nonsense expression is clearly visible to all of them. “I see any of you here again, I _will_ call your parents.”

Genevieve opens her mouth furiously to speak, but the bartender cuts her off. “Even if you’re an alpha. You’re underage, all of you.”

 

*

 

Jared doesn’t feel like himself again for several weeks.

He doesn’t let his friends see how shaken he is by his experience. He’s reasonably sure he could’ve gotten away even if the bartender hadn’t broken into the washroom, but the feeling of rage and helplessness – and yes, fear – hasn’t gone away yet. The second alpha could’ve been as unscrupulous as the first. Even if he could’ve held his own against one alpha, he couldn’t have taken on two alphas determined to knot him against his will. He’s always been treated by his friends and schoolmates as an equal, but after his experience at the bar, he’s forced to acknowledge that biology is against him.

He stays home from school for a couple of days after the attack, feigning an upset stomach, spending most of the day lying in bed and staring up at the ceiling. He tries reading and playing video games, but no matter what he does, the scene in the toilet keeps coming back to him in vivid technicolor. His imagination takes it further, and closing his eyes doesn’t help. 

He’s heard stories before of alphas going feral, losing their senses after scenting an omega. It’s been used throughout history as justification for alphas’ actions, the past scattered liberally with tales of forced knottings and even forced matings. To be bitten by an alpha during a rape is to submit to the alpha, whether the omega wants to or not. There is no socially acceptable way of going back from a claiming, and to do so is to invite shame and excommunication. Jared’s family, old and rich and pure-bred, doesn’t even speak of such possibilities. If Alan had knotted him, claimed him, Jared would’ve had no choice but to be betrothed to him, and officially mated to his rapist when he turned eighteen.

All in all, he’s almost proud of himself that he doesn’t throw up even once, although he loses track of how many times he thinks of the almost-rape and wants to be sick.

 

*

 

A week later, he returns to the bar. This time he’s alone. He’s barely spoken to Gen and Chad since the last time he was here, and they don’t know that he’s gone back.

“Do you have a fucking death wish?” the bartender asks, raising his eyebrows as Jared takes a stool at the bar. There’s no anger in his tone, just what appears to be a mild curiosity. Maybe a faint hint of disgust.

“You gave me a drink last time.”

“So?”

“So, you knew I’m underage.”

The alpha shrugs. “I didn’t put enough booze in your cocktail to get a puppy drunk.”

Jared gives him a small smile. It’s possibly the first time he’s smiled in days. “I don’t have a death wish. I just wanted to thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” the man says shortly. “Now go home.”

Jared looks around. It’s a weeknight, and the bar’s half-empty. The only patrons are sitting at tables. “Sure you don’t want some company?”

The alpha stares at him. “So he was right, then? You’re just a little whore begging for it?”

Jared doesn’t grimace at the words. His imagination has come up with far worse in the recent past.

He gets to his feet. “I was asking for a conversation, not a fuck. But I guess all alphas think alike.”

He walks out of the bar without looking back. He’ll be back the following night, but the alpha doesn’t know it yet.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Jared wakes up aching all over. He has a fever and his nose is completely blocked, forcing him to breathe through his mouth. 

In a surprising gesture of concern, his mother stays home from work that day and gives him cold medicine and soup. His parents are usually too involved in managing their business and making money to give their son a whole lot of attention, and Jared is pleasantly surprised until his mother brings up something that he really doesn’t want to address at the moment.

“You haven’t been going to school.” She sits down at the edge of his bed, stroking his sweat-dampened hair off his forehead.

“Mom, I’m sick.”

“It’s been a week, Jared. You weren’t really ill before today. And you just have a couple of months before you graduate.”

Jared turns his face away, the bitterness in his throat nothing to do with the flu. Of course all his parents would be concerned about is that he graduates with honors. “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll catch up with my schoolwork.”

She sighs. “We just thought you might… like another option. We spoke to a private tutor yesterday. He comes highly recommended.”

“I don’t need a tutor, Mother.”

His mother gets up. “He’s coming by this afternoon. We’ll have a quick meeting with him and then you can go right back to bed, OK?”

 

*

 

There’s nothing for it but to do as his parents wish, so Jared forces himself to get out of bed when he hears the doorbell ring a couple of hours later. He splashes some water on his face, combs his hair back with his fingers and tugs on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before going downstairs.

He enters the living room to find his mother talking to a man in a suit. The guy’s back is to Jared, and he has salt-and-pepper hair.

“Ah, Jared,” his mother says when she sees him. “Mr Brown, this is my son.”

Jared’s skin is already prickling unpleasantly before the man turns around, but when he does, it feels as though the floor has fallen away from under Jared’s feet.

It’s Alan.

“Hello, Jared,” his would-be rapist says pleasantly, holding out a hand.

Jared stares at him, frozen in place. Behind the alpha, his mother raises her eyebrows at Jared’s apparent rudeness, and he has no choice but to shake the alpha’s hand. Alan not only clamps down painfully hard on Jared’s hand, but he also digs his thumb into the meat of Jared’s palm and winks at him before releasing his hand and turning back to Jared’s mother.

“I trust you find my credentials satisfactory, Mrs Padalecki.”

“Of course, Mr Brown. It’s a pleasure to hire someone as accomplished as you to tutor our son.”

“Not to worry, Mrs Padalecki. Your son will be in very good hands.”

 

*

 

“Fuck,” Chad says.

“Yeah,” Jared says dully. He’s buried under his comforter, but he still can’t stop feeling cold.

“You gotta tell them, man.”

“Tell them what? That I went to a bar to get laid?” Jared asks bitterly. “They’ll take that really well.”

“I can’t believe that asshole was in your house. Son of a bitch belongs in jail.”

“No arguments there,” Jared says.

“What are we going to do?” Chad asks, and Jared smiles at the “we”. He may not have been communicating much with his friends, but he knows they’ll still be around if he needs them.

“I’m leaving. I can’t stay here.”

Chad looks worried. “You wanna come to mine?”

Jared shakes his head. “That’s the first place my parents will look. I’ve got to go somewhere they can’t find me.”

 

*

The bar’s almost looking familiar now. 

Jared hadn’t planned to be here again while sick with the flu and with a few belongings stuffed into his backpack. It’s the middle of the afternoon and there’s barely anyone there. The person behind the bar is new to him. She’s a gorgeous alpha, her hair swept up into a high ponytail, with several ear studs and a tiny silver nose-ring.

“Uh, hi,” Jared says, walking up to the bar.

“Hey there. You looking for someone?”

“Yeah, uh… the guy who’s usually here in the evenings?”

“Jensen? He won’t be in for a couple of hours yet. Can I take a message?”

“No, I… I’ll just wait for him, if you don’t mind.”

She scrutinizes him for a moment. “You’re Jay, right?” she says finally.

It takes him a moment to remember that he’d introduced himself to Alan at the bar. So Jensen, the bartender, had been paying attention after all. Enough to mention Jared to his co-worker.

Jared just nods, and the alpha gives him a small smile. “I’m Danneel, but everyone calls me Dan or Danny.” She holds out a hand over the counter. Jared shakes it, somewhat comforted by the warm, firm handshake.

“You in trouble, Jay?” She glances at his backpack.

“I… sort of.”

“And you came looking for Jensen? For help?”

“I—I don’t mean to be rude, but I’d really rather talk to him.”

Danneel doesn’t look put out. “Sure, kid. Why don’t you come on inside? There’s an office with a couch. You look beat.” She tilts her head to a door behind her.

“Thank you. I really appreciate this.”

She gives him a quick smile. “No problem.”

The office is small but cozy, and Jared is glad for its warmth. He curls up on the small but comfortable sofa, and is asleep in a minute.

 

*

 

He awakens to the sound of soft voices, and is a little disoriented for a moment before he remembers where he is. Lifting his head, he sees Danneel and Jensen sitting at the desk.

“Hey,” Danneel says. “How you feeling, kid?”

“A little better, thanks.” Jared sits up, surprised to find that someone’s covered him with a warm, colorful afghan. He feels like crap.

He glances at Jensen. The alpha is dressed much the same as usual, in fitted blue jeans and a snug AC/DC t-shirt. His face doesn’t betray much of an expression.

“I’ll leave you guys to it,” Danneel says. She gets up and gives Jared’s shoulder a brief squeeze before leaving the room.

There’s silence for a bit. “Are you mad?” Jared asks finally.

The alpha throws him a glance. “Wasn’t expecting to see you here again. You want to tell me what this is about?”

“He showed up at my house.”

“Who?”

“That guy. The alpha who… from the other night.”

“Alan Brown? He was at your house?”

Jared nods.

The alpha frowns. “And you came here? Instead of calling the cops?”

“I can’t tell anyone. About what happened. My parents…” Jared trails off, unwilling to finish the thought.

“Your parents won’t help you?” The alpha looks skeptical.

“My name is Jared Padalecki.”

Jared watches as understanding dawns on the other man’s face. “Ah. Your family has quite a name.”

“They won’t want a scandal. They’d sooner have me mate with him.”

Jensen doesn’t respond to that. “Any idea how he found you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he recognized me from the papers.” There’s been enough in the gossip columns lately about whom the Padalecki heir will be mated with when he turns eighteen. Jared’s surprised Jensen and Danneel hadn’t recognized him, but then again, no one would expect to see the sole heir to a fortune, and an omega to boot, in a bar.

“What exactly is it that you think I can do for you?”

“I—I just need a place to crash until I figure things out.”

“And you think this is the place? Your parents could have me arrested for kidnapping a minor. Danny too.”

“No one knows I’m here. Not even my friends.”

“Your friends know you were here earlier, Jared. They could be coerced into telling someone.”

“They won’t betray me, I swear.”

Jensen is quiet for a long minute. “What about school?” he asks finally. “Shouldn’t you be graduating soon?”

“I want to graduate, but… I can’t stay at home, alpha. I have a plan.”

Jensen raises his eyebrows.

“I—I’ll call my folks and tell them I’m not coming home and that I’ll take my exams when the time comes. I’ll tell them not to look for me.”

“They’re hardly likely to agree to that.”

“They won’t have a choice. I know they’d rather keep quiet than be involved in a public scandal.”

Jensen makes a non-committal sound. “And after you graduate? You planning to hide from Brown for the rest of your life?”

“No. My parents are…” Jared swallows against the bitterness in his throat. “They’ve already been looking for a suitable mate for me. Once my mating is arranged, Brown can’t touch me.” When Jensen doesn’t respond, Jared presses on. “Please. It’s just for a couple of months. And I won’t stay that long. I just… I just need to clear my head. Just for a few days. And then I’ll figure something out and be out of your hair.”

Jensen gets to his feet. “Well, you can’t stay here. I won’t have any of my colleagues put at risk.”


	4. Chapter 4

Fighting back the sudden sting in his eyes, Jared nods. “I understand. I’ll—”

“Let me finish. You can’t stay here, but I’ll find somewhere else for you.”

“You will?” Jared stares up at the alpha, hope resurfacing.

“Yeah, kid. You came to me for help—heaven knows why, but you did, and I’m not going to turn you away.” 

“I… Thank you. I don’t know what to say.” He’s exhausted with worry and the wretched flu, and his eyes are still burning. 

The alpha looks at him unsmilingly, but Jared has come to understand that he isn’t unfriendly, for all his aloofness. “I’d give you one of the rooms for now, but I think you’re safer in the office. Try to get some rest. I’ll have some food sent.”

Jensen is as good as his word. Jared has barely curled up on the couch again before he falls back into sleep, completely worn out. When he wakes from his nap, there’s a large triple-decker sandwich on the table next to him, along with a bottle of water, a chocolate milkshake, a box of fries, and even a bottle of cold medicine. He eats everything hungrily and takes a swig of the medicine, using the small attached bathroom to wash up afterwards.

He’s wiping his hands off on a paper napkin when Jensen returns. “The cops were here,” he says.

“What?”

“They were looking for you. I told them I had no idea whom they were talking about.”

And just like that, Jared’s anxiety is back full-force. It feels as though it had never really gone away, and was just waiting for the chance to strike again. “Jensen, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to get you into trouble. I know my friends wouldn’t have sold me out. I swear they—”

“Relax, Jared. I don’t think it was your friends. I think Alan sent the cops here when he found out you’d run away.”

“But why? Wouldn’t he be implicating himself?” Jared sinks back down into the couch, his arms wrapped around himself.

Jensen shakes his head, looking grim. “Even if people found out you were here looking for an alpha, no one would implicate him. The blame would all lie with the omega. You know the way things work. He could either force you to mate with him, or, if he doesn’t want that, he could shame your family in public by letting the story out.”

“Then why hasn’t he?” Jared swallows hard. “Why hasn’t he let the story out?”

“I can only guess at his motives, but given the pains he took to insinuate himself into your home, he must have his reasons.”

“I think his intentions are pretty obvious.” Jared doesn’t look at the alpha.

“Yes. The fact that he got himself hired as your tutor meant that he intended to force himself on you repeatedly, not just the one time. You wouldn’t have been able to tell anyone. Not unless you wanted to be mated to him. Either way, he’d win.”

“You don’t sugarcoat anything, do you?” Jared mutters.

Jensen shrugs. “What’s the point? I tell it like it is.”

“I wouldn’t have allowed it. I’d have killed him first.”

“And been executed for the crime of killing an alpha? Omegas have been put to death for far less.”

“I know!” Jared bursts out, unable to hold back any longer. “I know, all right? You think I haven't studied the records over and over? You think I haven’t looked and looked and looked for a way out of my situation?”

Jensen looks as calm as ever. “That’s why you were here that night. To do something on your own terms for once.” It isn’t a question.

“And look where it got me,” Jared says bitterly, pushing both his hands back through his hair. He looks up at Jensen. “I should go back, right? I should go back before this gets any worse.”

“That’s what you should do, yes.” Jensen tilts his head, looking at Jared with that unreadable expression of his. “But it’s not what you’re going to do, is it?”

“I’d rather die first.”

“Don’t be so melodramatic. It isn’t going to come to that.” Jensen’s tone is almost light, and Jared suspects that he’s trying to make Jared feel better.

“Are you still going to help me? Even after the cops?”

“You bet I am.”

“I can’t—I don’t have any money, but I can pay you back. If you, uh… If you wanna…”

“Jared,” Jensen says sharply. “Don’t bring that up again. Ever. I’m not going to touch you, you understand?”

“Why not?” Jared asks, confused. “Why else would you want to help me? What could you possibly—”

“Look, kid. I’m not a monster. Someone asks me for help, I help if I can. I don’t go around knotting children.”

“I’ll be eighteen in less than five months,” Jared says, indignant, but Jensen’s already left the room, slamming the door behind him.

“That went well,” Jared says to the empty room.

 

*

 

Jensen doesn’t stay at the bar until the end of his shift that night. They leave around ten, getting out the back. Jensen’s car, a huge, shiny Impala, waits in the parking lot.

“Wow,” Jared says softly.

“You like her?”

“She’s gorgeous.”

Jensen gives him a quick grin before getting into the car and opening the passenger-side door from the inside. It’s almost dark in the parking lot, but the brief smile transforms the alpha’s face into something softer, almost making him look closer to Jared’s age than to someone in his late twenties. He leans across. “Get in. we have a long way to go.”

“I thought we were going to your place,” Jared says, getting into the car.

“Nah. That was no longer an option the moment the cops showed up. Only reason they didn’t search the bar was that they didn’t have a warrant. The minute they get one, they’ll be tearing my place apart.”

The car glides out on to the road, and Jared stares out at the darkness through the windshield. “I’m sorry. I’m putting you through an awful lot of trouble.”

“I knew you were trouble the minute you walked into my bar, kid.”

Jared looks at him curiously, but Jensen doesn’t elaborate. “Get some shut-eye if you can. We’re going to be on the road for a while.”

Jensen turns on the radio to a classic rock station and, to Jared’s surprise, he falls asleep to the sound of Metallica booming through the car.


	5. Chapter 5

Jared wakes up cold and feverish, realizing when he looks around that the car has stopped at a gas station. 

He rummages in his bag for the bottle of medicine and takes another swig before getting out. Jensen’s not in sight, but there’s a diner attached to the gas station. He finds Jensen at the counter, ordering takeaway.

“Hey,” Jensen says when he spots Jared. “Didn’t want to wake you. Burgers OK?”

Jared nods, and gestures towards the men’s room before disappearing inside. Once the door swings shut behind him, he puts his bag next to the sink and splashes some water on his face. He uses the toilet and then brushes his teeth to get rid of the stale taste in his mouth.

A glance at his reflection in the cracked mirror tells him that he looks awful. There are dark smudges under his eyes, and he looks like he hasn’t slept in a week.

He wipes his face with a paper towel and is tossing it into the trash when he hears a knock at the door. “Everything OK?”

Despite himself, Jared smiles. “Yeah, just a second.”

He emerges from the washroom to find Jensen outside, holding bags of food. “You want to eat in the car? Kinda crowded in here.”

Jared nods. It’s probably safer to remain on the road, in case anyone’s looking for them already. He hasn’t called his parents yet.

“You should call your folks,” is the first thing that Jensen says once Jared’s finished his burger and fries and is halfway through his chocolate milkshake.

“Yeah.” Jared doesn’t feel up to talking much, but Jensen seems to understand. He looks at the payphone next to the gas station. “I’ll just…”

“Use this one.” Jensen reaches into the back seat and pulls a cell phone out of his bag. At Jared’s confused expression, he explains, “It’ll be more difficult to trace.”

“I thought cell phones could be tracked through their signals.”

“Not this one.”

“What are you, a spy or something?” Jared asks, only half-joking.

Jensen lets out a short laugh. “Just use it.”

Jared switches the cell phone on. The battery is full. He dials the landline number at his house.

“Hello?”

“Mother?”

“Jared? Thank goodness! Where—”

She’s cut off abruptly, and a male voice sounds over the phone. “Jared, what are you playing at? Is this some sort of joke?” It’s his father.

“Father, I—”

“Whose phone are you using? How dare you take off like this?”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“Don’t you take that tone with me, boy. Come home this instant.”

“I can’t, Father. I’m not safe there.”

“Not safe? What the hell do you mean? This is your home!”

“Father, listen to me. I’m not coming home right now. Please don’t look for me.” Jared cuts off the call without letting his father reply and hands the phone back to Jensen, his hand shaking. 

Jensen switches off the phone and tosses it in the back seat. “I’m guessing that didn’t go very well,” he says calmly.

“You can say that again.” Jared scrubs his hand over his face. The anxiety is back full-force in the pit of his stomach, and he feels a though there’s a large balloon inside him, swelling larger by the second. “Jensen.” He turns to the alpha, his face stricken.

“Hey. Calm down. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“No, it’s not.” Jared pushes his fingers back through his hair, gripping it hard. “They’ll find me, they’ll find us, they’ll have you arrested, Jensen, we have to go back before—”

“Listen to me,” Jensen says firmly, and Jared turns to him, unable to resist responding to Jensen’s alpha-tone. “You are not going back there, and they are not going to get either of us. You understand?”

Jared looks at him, stricken. He doesn’t want to admit he’s scared, but he’s pretty sure his fear is obvious to the alpha.

“Come here.” Jensen slides closer to him on the bench seat, wrapping an arm around Jared’s shoulders. Jared moves closer to him, responding on autopilot, his instincts telling him to take what the alpha is offering. To his immense surprise, Jensen’s scent instantly washes over him, bringing with it a sense of warmth and calmness. His fingers curl into the front of Jensen’s jacket and he moves closer, his face pressed against the soft, bare skin of Jensen’s neck.

Jensen’s arm tightens around him, as though he can sense the effect that their closeness is having on Jared; he probably can. He gives the nape of Jared’s neck a quick squeeze. “It’s OK,” he says.

Jared nods, inhaling against Jensen’s skin one last time before pulling back. “I’m sorry,” he mutters. “You must think I’m some…”

“I’m not thinking anything, Jared. You ready to go?”

Jared nods again, and the car pulls smoothly onto the highway.

 

*

 

They drive for a few more hours, the scenery around them changing swiftly until there’s wilderness on both sides of the road. Jared’s too tense to fall asleep again, and so he watches the road outside until it gets too dark to make anything out.

“We’re almost there,” Jensen says, throwing him a glance. It’s the first time either of them has spoken in hours.

“Where are we going?” Jared asks finally. 

“A cabin in the woods. It’s not mine, so no one will think of looking for us there.”

It’s another twenty minutes before Jensen finally pulls off the main road and onto a small dirt path that’s barely visible from the highway. They drive for another ten minutes or so, nothing to light their way except for the Impala’s headlights, trees thick on either side of the small path.

The cabin is large and well-lit, and stands in the middle of a clearing.

“Home sweet home,” Jensen says lightly.

Two men come out of the cabin, no doubt alerted to their presence by the sound of the car.

“Steve, Chris—this is Jared.”

Jared shakes hands with both the alphas, fighting back a twinge of nervousness at being alone in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by alphas. As though sensing his apprehension, Jensen gives him a rare grin. “Don’t worry, they don’t bite.”

He puts his hand lightly on the small of Jared’s back and steers him inside. To Jared’s surprise, the cabin has electricity and running water. The space inside is large and well-furnished, with a double bed off to one side, a couch, a kitchenette with a small island that doubles as a dining table, and a bathroom attached. The smell of warm pizza fills the cabin, reminding Jared that it’s been a while since their last meal.

“You’re all stocked up,” Chris says, tossing Jensen a bunch of keys. “Give us a holler if you need anything else.”

“Get started on the pizza,” Jensen says, clapping a hand on Jared’s shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”

He steps out to see his friends off, and Jared gets the feeling that they’re having a conversation that he isn’t meant to overhear. Feeling more than a little out of his element, he puts his backpack on the floor and opens one of the boxes of pizza. It’s got everything on and is dripping with cheese.

Jensen returns in a few minutes. “Good?” he says, nodding towards the pizza.

“It’s great, thanks.” Jared watches as Jensen opens the fridge and catches the can of Coke that Jensen tosses at him.

“How did they leave? Your friends? I didn’t see any other car.”

“They don’t have far to walk.”

“In the dark?” Jared suspects he’s asking too many questions, but there are clearly a lot of things Jensen isn’t telling him.

“Trust me, they’ll be fine.” Jensen must sense Jared’s misgivings, because he adds, “Chris has an estate nearby. The guys like to keep a low profile.”

Jared can’t think of a better place in which to keep a low profile than an estate in the middle of the wilderness, and finds himself wondering if Jensen’s friends are hiding from someone.

“They’re good guys,” Jensen says, seeing the expression on Jared’s face. “It’s just—it’s not easy for an alpha couple to fit into the sort of society we just left behind.”

“They’re _together_?”

“Yep,” Jensen says with a grin. “Have been since we were all at college and in the same band.”

“But that’s…”

“Unnatural? Against the law?” Jensen’s face is expressionless again. “Yeah, that’s why they don’t really like to socialize.”

“I didn’t mean… I think it’s great. I’ve just… I’ve never heard of an alpha couple before.”

Jensen shrugs. “I guess most of them like to lie low. There are omega couples too.”

“Wow. I never… I didn’t know.”

Jensen takes a huge bite of pizza, washing it down with a swig of Coke. “There are a lot of things that society at large disapproves of, Jared. Such as giving omegas the right to choose their own lifestyles,” he says pointedly.

They eat quietly for a few minutes, Jared trying to absorb the new information. “Do you help people like them? Like me?”

“I’m not some crusader for equal rights, if that’s what you’re asking. But like I said before, if someone comes to me for help, I help if I can.” Jensen lets out a huge yawn, pushing his empty box of pizza away and getting to his feet. “I’m beat. Toss a coin for the bed?”

“I’m good with the couch,” Jared says quickly. 

“It’s about a foot too short for you, Sasquatch.” Jensen sounds amused. “We can share, if you’re cool with that. I promise not to grope you in your sleep.”

Jared’s sure his face is flaming.

Jensen laughs out loud. “That’s settled, then.” He heads off to the bathroom for a shower. Jared finishes his pizza and Coke in silence. Despite himself, he’s unable to help feeling oddly reassured.


	6. Chapter 6

When Jared wakes up, he realizes that he doesn’t know if Jensen had come to bed. The last thing he remembers is that Jensen had gone to take a shower. Jared had tried to keep his eyes open, but it had been hard to stay awake after the day he’d had.

There doesn’t appear to be anyone else around, but when Jared swings his legs out of bed, he finds a note on the bedside table, weighed down by the same cell phone he’d used the previous day to call his parents. 

_I may be away a while. Call me if you need to. My number’s on the phone. Do not call anyone else. _

_There’s food. Help yourself._

_\- J_

 

*

 

As the day wears on, Jared quickly gets restless.

He eats the baked beans, toast and eggs he finds covered on a plate in the kitchenette, and has two cups of coffee. He tries to do a bit of schoolwork on his laptop, but there’s no wi-fi, and he shuts it down again. 

He sits out on the porch and reads his paperback, somewhat comforted to see that the Impala is still parked in front of the cabin. 

He reads until late in the afternoon, when his empty stomach sends him back inside. He opens the cupboard in the kitchen to find plenty of tinned cans inside, and opens a tin of corned beef. There’s some tinned fruit too, but he already feels a little uncomfortable sponging off Jensen, and decides not to be greedy.

It’s getting to be late evening when he seriously begins to wonder what’s taking Jensen so long. He reads and rereads the note, and realizes that Jensen hadn’t actually said that he’d be returning that day. Maybe it had been his plan all along to ditch Jared at the cabin and go off to meet his friends. After all, it wasn’t as though a grown-ass alpha would actually want to be stuck in a cabin with a school-kid. 

 

*

 

By the time it’s completely dark, Jared is more pissed off than upset. 

How has Jensen just _left_ him at the cabin, after dragging him out into the middle of nowhere? Jared knows he won’t run out of food, but what if the generator breaks down or runs out of fuel? What if the water runs out? What if there’s a fire?

He forces himself to take deep breaths and focus on his situation, making himself think of the positive aspects of it. He may be bored and isolated, but he’s safe. And Jensen wouldn’t have brought him out there if he didn’t think Jared would be okay at the cabin.

As he gets into bed, he sees the phone there. He’d almost forgotten about it. He’d tried switching on his own phone earlier, but there was no signal. Jensen’s phone appears to be a satellite one. He switches it on and sees that there’s only one number saved on it. It appears to be a landline number, and the name it’s saved under is simply ‘A.E.’ He debates calling it, but decides against it. He’s already a little ashamed of his mini-breakdown after his talk with his father, and really doesn’t want Jensen to think he’s some weak, needy omega. He switches the phone off again to preserve the battery (there doesn’t seem to be a charger in sight) and reads until he falls asleep over his book.

 

*

 

He isn’t sure what wakes him, but when his eyes open, he’s immediately struck with the sense that he isn’t alone. There seems to be a rustling sound coming from outside.

He looks around wildly, all his sleepiness gone in an instant, but there’s nothing around that he can use as a weapon. He grabs a frying pan from beside the stove and wrenches the door open, brandishing the pan.

“Jesus, kid! Put that down!”

Jared lowers his makeshift weapon. “Chris?”

“Yeah, yeah. Put that away before you take out my eye or something,” Chris grumbles, pushing his way into the cabin and bringing a blast of cold air with him.

“What’re you doing here? Where’s Jensen?”

Chris kicks the door shut. “He’s not coming. Get your stuff.”

“Why? What’s happened?”

Chris rubs his hands together violently to warm up, his expression softening a little as he finally looks at Jared properly. “It’s OK, nothing’s happened. Jensen had to leave for a bit, and we thought you’d be better off at the estate.”

Jared stares at him, trying to fight back his uneasiness. “Where did he go? Is he OK?”

“Yeah, ’course he is,” Chris says, sounding a little impatient. “You coming, or would you rather stay here?” He looks around the cabin. “And why isn’t your damn phone on?”

Jared shrugs. “Didn’t think anyone was going to call.”

Chris isn’t even listening to him anymore. He pulls out his own phone: another satellite phone, by the looks of it. He gestures to Jared to get his stuff and then steps outside to make a call.

Jared wonders if he’s calling Jensen, but silently packs his few belongings back in his bag, tucking Jensen’s note and the phone into his jeans pocket.

“Get in the car,” Chris says, locking the door once Jared is out of the cabin. “It’s too damned cold to walk.”

It’s a bit strange to see someone else driving Jensen’s car, even if Jared hasn’t seen him drive it much. Chris takes them back down the path that Jared and Jensen had taken the previous day, but instead of going all the way back to the highway, he takes a small dirt path where the road forks into two. 

It’s only a few minutes before the narrow path widens, and a huge gate looms up ahead. It’s hardly visible in the dark, and Jared only catches a glimpse of an engraved sign on the top before the gate slides open with a quiet hiss.

Jared expects to see a house inside, but the path seems to continue deeper into the woods, thick trees on either side. It’s another minute’s drive before the car stops in front of the largest house Jared has ever seen.

It’s easily three or four times the size of his parents’ house, and theirs is the biggest on the block. This house is more like a large building, with at least three floors that Jared can make out in the semi-darkness, and a massive garage off to one side.

Steve steps out of the house, a huge pool of light spreading around the drive. “There you guys are!” As Jared gets out of the car, Steve claps him on the back. “Hope Grumpy here didn’t piss you off too much.”

Chris mutters something under his breath, still looking cold and annoyed, but he leans in and gives Steve a quick kiss before heading into the warmth of the mansion.

“You okay?” Steve asks, turning to Jared.

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.” If Jared had felt a little out of his element at the cabin, it’s nothing compared to the sheer alienation of being at this ginormous estate with strangers, one of whom doesn’t appear to like him at all. Not to mention he’s just seen two alphas kiss for the first time in his life. 

“Don’t mind Chris,” Steve says, smiling warmly. “He’s had a bit of a rough day, and he hates the cold. Come on, let’s get you inside.”

“You hungry?” Steve asks over his shoulder once they’re inside.

Jared shakes his head. He usually has a huge appetite, but he’d finished off the last off the corned beef before going to bed. Besides, he isn’t really up to eating at the moment.

The hallway opens out into a large, lobby-like space like the ones Jared has seen in expensive hotels, complete with a grand staircase.

“C’mon, we’re in the east wing,” Steve says cheerfully, starting to head up the staircase. Jared follows him silently. They emerge on to a carpeted corridor, and Steve switches on a couple of lights before leading Jared to one of the doors. “Here you go.” 

The room is large, with French windows on one side and a huge bed. Everything is furnished tastefully in shades of maroon and gray.

“There’s a kitchen down the corridor if you get hungry,” Steve says, gesturing down the hallway. Chris and I are two doors down to your right, if you need anything.” He puts his hand on Jared’s shoulder. “You all right? You haven’t said much.”

“I… What is this place? Where’s Jensen?”

Steve hesitates for a moment. “He hasn’t told you much, has he?”

“No.”

“He should be back soon, Jared. I think it’s best if you—”

“What’s going on?” Jared bursts out, unable to help himself. “Where is he? Why won’t anyone tell me anything?”

“He’s just gone to take care of some business, Jared. And I… it’s not really my place to tell you anything. Just wait for him to get back, OK?”

He gives Jared a small smile and leaves, the door clicking shut quietly behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

The house feels huge and cold and empty, and for a while Jared tosses in bed, unable to fall asleep. It’s very quiet outside, not even the hoot of an owl to stir the night. The house must have heating, but maybe it’s the lingering remains of Jared’s cold that are making him shiver despite the thick bedding.

He slides in as deep as he can under the covers, his mind churning with restless thoughts. Logically, he knows he’s safe here; these are Jensen’s friends, and Jensen has done nothing but help him so far. But another part of him, the fiercely independent part that’s always wanted to prove himself beyond his biology, is practically seething by now at the thought of having to be protected by a bunch of alphas. To say nothing of the fact that they can’t even be bothered to let him know what’s going on.

The rational part of his brain knows that he hadn’t had any choice but to run, but the part that wants to prove himself is hankering for action, demanding that he do something other than merely wait like a bird in a pretty cage for the alphas to decide what to do with him.

There’s only one thing to do: he’ll have to make a run for it as soon as he can. Even a half-baked plan is better than no plan at all, and Jared quickly falls asleep once he knows what he has to do next.

 

*

 

“Morning,” Steve says brightly as Jared stumbles into the kitchen the next morning, still half-asleep. “Sleep well?”

Jared grunts in reply and looks around for coffee. 

“Have a seat.” Steve puts a steaming mug on the gleaming table, and Jared sits down and wraps his fingers around the warm mug with a grateful nod.

“See Jensen yet?”

Jared’s head snaps up. “He’s back?”

“Yeah, he got back early this morning.”

“Is he… can I see him?”

“I don’t see why not.” Steve gives him a quick smile. “Here, why don’t you take him some coffee?”

 

*

Jensen’s room is apparently in the opposite wing of the manor from the one in which Jared had spent the night. Following Steve’s instructions, he carries both mugs of coffee down the hall, along the landing and over to the other side of the mansion, stopping at the first door on the right.

There’s a small decorative table right outside the door, on which he puts down one of the mugs so that he can knock on the door.

“C’min.”

Jared pushes open the door. It’s pretty dark inside, thick curtains drawn across the windows. When his eyes have adjusted a bit, he finds himself looking at a living room rather than a bedroom, complete with a plush sofa, armchairs, writing desk and bookshelves.

“Jensen?”

“Jared?” Jensen appears from a door that Jared hadn’t noticed in the semi-darkness. “What’re you doing here?”

“I, uh. Brought you coffee.”

“Oh. Thanks.” Jensen goes up to the windows and pulls a cord, making the curtains slide open. Light floods into the room, and Jared blinks. He glances around to see that the room Jensen’s emerged from is a large bedroom. This isn’t a room; it’s more like a complete suite.

“One of those for me?” Jensen nods at the mugs in Jared’s hand, looking a bit amused.

“Yes.” He hands over the mug he hasn’t already sipped from, and Jensen gestures to him to take a seat before sinking into the sofa.

Jared remains standing. “Where were you?” he blurts out.

Jensen raises his eyebrows. “Can we be a little civilized here and finish our coffee first?” He pats the sofa, taking a little of the sting of his words away. “Come on, sit down.”

A little deflated, Jared doesn’t really have a choice but to do as Jensen asks. He stares down into his coffee for a moment, and then takes a gulp from it before looking up to see Jensen looking at him. Jensen looks tired, as though he hasn’t had much sleep. 

Taking a long sip from his mug, Jensen makes a contented sound. “How was your night?”

“Didn’t get much sleep,” Jared mutters, looking away.

Jensen’s quiet for a moment. Then he asks, “How’s the cold? Better?”

“Yeah. I finished the cold medicine you gave me.”

“Ask Steve for some more if you need it.” Jensen drains the rest of his coffee in one long swig and gets to his feet, holding out his hand. “C’mon, I want to show you something.”

Surprised, Jared puts his hand in Jensen’s. Jensen’s hand is warm and firm, and he tugs Jared lightly to his feet and toward the window. As they approach it, Jared sees that it’s a French window leading out to a large balcony. Jensen pushes open the glass doors and they step out into the cold, fresh morning air.

“Wow,” Jared can’t help but say. He can see almost the whole of the grounds. There are thick trees on almost every side, and behind the garage he’d spotted the previous night, there are further buildings.

“What are those?” he asks.

“Stables, mostly. There aren’t many horses left, but there are a few. You like horses?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

“There was a time this place had a lot of people,” Jensen says, looking out into the distance. He’s quiet for a while, and then he glances at Jared. “I’m sorry, you’re cold.”

Before Jared can reply, he goes back inside, returning in a moment with a thick sweater. “Here,” He drapes it over Jared’s shoulders. “Better?”

Jared nods wordlessly, not sure what to say. “It’s beautiful out here,” he says finally, meaning it. The air is fragrant with a combination of flowery and woodsy smells, and he can’t remember the last time he was in a place that was so quiet. 

Jensen gives him a quick smile, looking pleased at the comment. “It is, isn’t it? I don’t come out here as often as I should.”

Jared wraps the sweater closer around himself, mostly to give his hands something to do. 

“Your friend Alan’s been raising more trouble,” Jensen says finally, turning to him.

“He’s not my friend,” Jared says, bristling. “What did he do?”

“Sent the cops to the bar again. With a warrant this time.”

“Shit. Is that why you left?”

Jensen nods, inclining his head to indicate that he’s heading back inside. “Don’t worry,” he says over his shoulder. “I handled it.”

“What did you tell them?” Jared asks, following him back inside.

“I didn’t have to tell them much of anything, once they realized who I was.”

Jared looks at him blankly. “You aren’t a bartender?”

Jensen gives him a wry smile. “I am.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Have you heard of the Ackles Corporation?”

“Yes, of course, but what—”

“I’m Jensen Ackles. The middle son.” Jensen lets out a short, humorless laugh.

“And you work in a bar?”

“I also own the bar. And a few others. Also some businesses.”

Jared stares at him. “But—why would you work in a bar at all?”

Jensen shrugs. “I like it. It’s the first thing I set up that was my own. I’m not there all the time. Just some evenings, when I feel like it.”

“Wow. So you’re like… one of those eccentric billionaires?”

Jensen laughs out loud at that. “I’m hardly a billionaire. My family disowned me years ago, when I was about your age. This house is the only thing I was allowed to keep, because my grandmother left it to me.”

“I thought you said it was Chris and Steve’s.”

Jensen has the grace to look abashed. “Sorry about that. It does belong to Chris, at least officially. I had the papers transferred to his name before my family could try to take it away.”

“I.” Jared isn’t sure what to say. “I’m sorry.”

Jensen looks surprised. “About what?”

“Your family. That they—that you’re estranged from them.”

“It’s all right. They’re a bunch of assholes and I wouldn’t want anything to do with them even if they wanted me in the family.”

“I know the feeling,” Jared says, trying not to sound bitter. He pulls the sweater tighter around himself. They’re still standing beside the window.

“How are you holding up? This can’t be easy for you.” Jensen shuts the window and leads them back to the sofa. There’s an electric fire on the opposite wall, which he lights before coming to sit beside Jared.

“I’m fine,” Jared says quickly. “Why did your family disown you? If I… if I can ask.”

“For much the same reason as yours has a problem with you right now. I didn’t want to have to follow some stupid norms just because I’m an alpha. They wanted me to mate with a ‘suitable’ omega from another business conglomerate, have two point five kids and do my duty.”

“You refused?”

“I ran. My parents live on the opposite coast. They have offices everywhere, but I’m as far away from them as I can get while still living in the country. This place is my home. Spent a lot of time here as a kid, when my grandma was still alive.”

“So that’s why you helped me? Because you know what it feels like?”

Jensen shrugs. “I told you before, kid. You asked me for help, and I didn’t want to say no.”

“How many people like me have you brought here before? How many omegas?”

“Does it matter?”

“I guess not.” Jared stares into the fire for a bit, finally feeling warm.

Jensen gets to his feet, clapping Jared on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s get some breakfast.”

 

*

 

Jared doesn’t talk much at the breakfast table, excusing himself as soon as he’s done and leaving the three alphas still having an animated conversation.

He’d already suspected that there was more to Jensen than met the eye, but everything Jensen had said is still sinking in. Despite his newfound knowledge about Jensen’s identity, one thing hasn’t changed—Jensen is clearly one of the good guys.

It doesn’t change the fact that Jared can’t stay.


	8. Chapter 8

Jared stays in his assigned room for the rest of the morning, schoolbooks open on the desk in front of the window. The room is well-lit by natural light and he’s warm and comfortable and well-fed. He’s surprised at how much work he gets done. He’ll eventually need access to wi-fi (he can’t bring himself to ask Jensen for yet another favor), but for now he gets the week’s reading done for his biology class. It’s a little ironic, sitting there and studying like he’s in a room of his own with little except schoolwork to worry about, but he’s beginning to learn that worrying about problems doesn’t make them go away.

A little past one in the afternoon, there’s a knock on his door.

“It’s open,” he calls, pushing his chair back and standing up. He’s barely moved for over three hours, and so he takes the opportunity to stretch his arms out over his head.

The door is pushed open, and he finds Jensen standing there with a tray.

“I was just getting myself a sandwich. Thought you might want to join me for lunch,” the alpha says.

“I…” Jared swallows, touched by the unexpected gesture. But then again, Jensen really has been nothing but kind.

“C’mon, kiddo. I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Jared nods, pulling the door open all the way to let Jensen in. “Yes, but…”

“But what?”

“You… you shouldn’t be waiting on me. It’s not right.”

Jensen lets out a laugh. “Not _right_? This is my home and you’re my guest. I’m allowed to feed you.”

Jared goes a little pink at that, and Jensen grins. He sits down cross-legged on the bed and puts the tray in front of him. Jared joins him, mirroring his position, and they dig in to the sandwiches and chocolate milkshakes that Jensen has brought.

“So,” Jensen says around a bite. “What are your plans? No pressure or anything, but you look like you’ve been thinking.”

Jared looks down at his food. “Yeah, I guess I have.”

“And?”

“And…” Jared’s been wondering if he should be honest with Jensen about his plans, and he makes up his mind when he looks up and sees Jensen’s earnest face. “I can’t stay here.”

Jensen frowns a little, but not as though he’s annoyed at Jared’s answer: more like he’s trying to understand Jared’s response. “I thought you said you liked it here.”

“I do,” Jared says helplessly, looking around. “This… this is all awesome. Really. When I ran away from home I never imagined for a second that I’d end up someplace like this.”

“So what’s the problem?” Jensen asks the question quietly, his tone the very opposite of argumentative, and Jared feels a little surge of affection for the alpha well up inside him.

“I…” Jared glances up. “Please don’t take offense.”

“I won’t. You can tell me anything, Jared.”

“I can’t be dependent on a group of alphas,” Jared says in a rush, mentally crossing his fingers and hoping that Jensen doesn’t get offended. “It’s… it’s the sort of thing I ran away from.”

“You came to me for help,” Jensen points out, raising his eyebrows.

“Yes, but I didn’t… I didn’t know who you were. I thought I was…”

“What?” Jensen presses when Jared trails off, leaning forward to put his hand on Jared’s knee and giving it an encouraging squeeze.

Jared looks away, chewing nervously on his bottom lip.

“Is this about what you, uh, offered me the night you came to the bar?” Jensen asks.

Jared nods, not meeting Jensen’s eyes.

“So, let me see if I have this right. You thought you’d trade your body for a few days of shelter while you figured out what to do next, and that I’d take you up on your offer.”

“I told you,” Jared says, his voice barely more than a whisper. “It was the only way I could pay you for your help.” 

“So you’d rather whore yourself out than take help when it’s offered?” Jensen’s face is blank now.

Jared stares at him, thrown by the abrupt change in tone. He opens his mouth and shuts it again, completely at a loss for words.

“Now you have nothing to say?” Jensen asks in a clipped tone. His face still doesn’t betray any expression.

“That’s not fair,” Jared says softly, trying not to show how hurt he is by Jensen’s words. 

Jensen gets up, and for one horrible moment Jared thinks he’s going to leave and slam the door behind him. But instead of moving to the door, Jensen goes to the window and stands with his back to Jared. The sun catches his hair, making it look golden, and Jared curses himself for noticing how beautiful the alpha is. If there were ever an appropriate time to think such thoughts, this definitely isn’t it.

“What do you plan to do?” Jensen asks, again in that terse tone. It’s worse this time because Jared can’t even see his face. It seems pretty clear, though, that Jensen has lost his patience and can’t wait to get Jared off his hands.

“Go back to the city,” Jared says, trying to talk past the lump in his throat. He’d been stupid enough to think that Jensen would understand.

“And do what? Support yourself by…” Jensen makes a choppy motion with his hand, clearly referring to Jared ‘whoring’ himself out but not wanting to say it again. “By offering other alphas what you offered me?”

“Please,” Jared whispers, blinking against the sting in his eyes. “Jensen, don’t.”

Jensen turns around after a moment. His eyes are cold, and for a second, Jared feels a twinge of fear. “Don’t what? Don’t ask how you’re going to survive out there? You’re in my home and you’re my responsibility, Jared. I have the right to ask while you’re under my roof.”

“I won’t be much longer,” Jared snaps back, bitter and hurt. Jensen had said he wouldn’t take offense at anything Jared said, and now here he is, acting as authoritative as any other alpha Jared knows.

Jensen walks to the door, and his hand is on the doorknob before he speaks again. “You can come back with me when I return tomorrow. If you can’t wait that long, ask Steve to drive you to the bus stop.” The door shuts behind him with a click.


	9. Chapter 9

Steve’s on the phone when Jared enters the kitchen, listening to whoever’s on the other end with a smile on his face. When he sees Jared, he turns his smile on him and gestures to the table, pouring out a mug of coffee with his phone tucked against his shoulder and placing it in front of Jared.

“I love you too,” Steve says into the phone. “Drive safe, babe.” He hangs up and grins at Jared. “Chris is out for a supply run,” he says by way of explanation, sitting down across the table from Jared and taking a sip of his own coffee. “What’s up, Jared? You doing okay?”

“I, uh… I was wondering if you could tell me how far the nearest bus stop is.”

“Why, you going somewhere?” Steve asks lightly. His expression changes when he sees the look on Jared’s face. “What happened? Are you thinking of leaving?”

“Uh, yeah. I… I think it’s time I went my way.”

“Jared, you just got here. Did something happen? Can I help?”

“I just…” Jared shakes his head. “I need to get back.”

“To where? Your parents’ house?” Steve asks, sounding concerned.

“No, not there.”

“Then where?” Steve leans forward and puts a hand on Jared’s arm. It’s so like the gesture Jensen had made before he got angry that Jared is tempted to pull his arm away. He’s just about had it with alphas pretending to be sympathetic before they turn on him.

“A friend’s place.”

“You aren’t in the mood to say much, are you?” Steve gives Jared’s arm a quick squeeze before removing his hand. “It’s Jensen, isn’t it? He said something that upset you.”

“No,” Jared says quickly. Jensen may have hurt him, but Jared isn’t so ungrateful that he’s going to bitch about Jensen behind his back. “He… You guys have been great. I just need to get back. To school and stuff.”

Steve watches him quietly for a long moment. “I’m sorry,” he says finally. “I’d hoped… Never mind.” He gives Jared a quick smile. “I would have driven you all the way back, but Chris and I don’t go into the city anymore. Too much criticism about our choices, you know?” His smile turns a little crooked. “I’ll give you a ride to the bus stop when he gets back.”

 

*

 

Jared’s only been sitting on the stone bench beside the empty highway for a few minutes when he hears the rumble of the Impala’s engine.

He doesn’t look at the car as it passes him and slows down. His heart is pounding in his chest, and he tries to maintain a façade of calm.

He hears the car stop and the door open and shut. A moment later, Jensen sits down next to him on the bench. It had rained earlier, and there’s a chill in the air. 

Jared keeps his hands clasped, his elbows on his knees, his hair spilling over his face.

“You were right,” Jensen says finally.

Jared’s so surprised at that – he’d been expecting anger, censure, anything except for Jensen’s contrite tone – that he turns to look at Jensen. “About what?” 

“I wasn’t fair to you. I told you you could tell me anything, and then I turned on you. I’m sorry, kiddo.”

“No, you… you were right. What do I know, right? I’m just an empty-headed omega.”

“Jared, don’t. Don’t talk about yourself like that. Even if you’re being sarcastic.”

Jared lets out a mirthless laugh, turning his head away. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”

He stiffens when Jensen’s warm hand slides over his clasped ones. “Hey, come on. Look at me.”

Despite himself, Jared turns to Jensen again. He knows his despair and frustration will be entirely visible to Jensen, but he’s a little beyond caring now.

“Let me help you.” Jensen squeezes Jared’s hand as he speaks. “I know how you feel. No, hear me out. When I was your age, my parents disowned me. Alphas don’t need a guardian’s permission to be employed, but I was still a minor. And besides, my parents made sure that everyone who might have hired me was too scared to go against their wishes. They thought it would bring me running back, begging for forgiveness. So I get it, Jared. I know what it’s like to be bound by law and have nowhere to go. I understand, and I’m sorry I was harsh with you.”

Jensen looks helpless now, begging Jared with his eyes to believe him. “Please,” he says finally, when Jared doesn’t respond. “Trust me, please. I can’t bear the thought of you alone out there, Jared, please.”

“Why do you care so much?” Jared whispers. He turns his hand under Jensen’s, and Jensen is quick to link their fingers together.

“Do I need to spell it out?” Jensen asks, giving him a sheepish smile.

Jared shakes his head, moving closer to Jensen on the bench. Jensen wraps his free arm around Jared immediately, their clasped hands pressed between them.

Jared feels Jensen’s lips against the top of his head, and closes his eyes tightly and turns his face into Jensen’s neck. “We don’t want this,” he says, his voice muffled against Jensen’s skin. “Neither of us.”

Jensen’s arm tightens around him. “Maybe doing the conventional thing would actually be unconventional in our case, huh?”

Jared lets out a half-sob, half-laugh, pulling back a little to look at Jensen’s face. “What exactly are we doing?”

“Well…” Jensen’s gaze drops to Jared’s lips for a moment, but he hastily returns it to Jared’s eyes. “I believe I’m asking you to be my mate.”

“We haven’t even kissed yet,” Jared says, going for humor and missing by a mile as his voice comes out tremulous.

“Then let’s fix that.” Jensen searches his face, silently asking for permission.

In response, Jared leans in and presses his lips to Jensen’s.

Jared’s made out with a few alphas at school, teasing forbidden sessions in empty corridors and classrooms and closets. Kissing an alpha he’s already forming an unprecedented bond with is nothing like any kiss he’s ever shared. Instead of clumsy groping and a wet tongue thrusting into his mouth, the first, lightest touch of Jensen’s lips against his makes an unexpected sweetness assault his senses. Jensen tastes like rain and coffee and a woodsy underlying taste that isn’t just pure adult alpha but also uniquely _Jensen_ , his flavor so addictive and heady that Jared honest-to-god whimpers, winding his arms around Jensen’s neck and tangling his fingers in Jensen’s soft hair as he hangs on for the ride.

Jensen smiles against his mouth, not letting go of him. “Easy, tiger,” he murmurs, nuzzling against Jared’s nose and tilting his head before he takes Jared’s mouth again, the tip of his tongue tracing the shape of Jared’s lips. He chuckles when Jared’s lips part easily and eagerly, but Jared’s had enough of waiting. He draws Jensen’s tongue into his mouth, sighing with something close to absolute happiness when Jensen finally returns the kiss with equal fervor, his arms tight around Jared like they were made to fit together like this.

When they finally come up for air, Jensen still doesn’t let go, keeping Jared in his arms as they rest their foreheads together and breathe the same air. “That was some kiss,” he says, sounding as overwhelmed as Jared feels.

“Definitely in my top twenty,” Jared says, grinning. 

Jensen’s eyes are bright with something Jared doesn’t dare put a name to. “Brat,” he says. “I’ll show you top twenty.”

“Is that a threat, alpha?”

“It’s a promise.” Jensen leans in to kiss Jared’s cheek briefly, sweetly. “You have the most amazing dimples.” His thumb rubs lightly over the spot where his lips were a moment ago. “Everything about you amazes me, Jared.”

“Enough to want to be mated to me?” Jared asks softly. Jensen’s scent is all over him now, and it feels like it’s slipping under Jared’s skin already.

“Do _you_ want to be mated to me?”

“I…” Jared bites his lip. “I’ve never had anything like this with any… with anyone. I didn’t even know a kiss could feel like that.”

Jensen gives him a small smile. “You haven’t experienced enough yet, have you? Not enough for it to be fair for you to have to decide on a mate at seventeen.” He tucks a strand of Jared’s hair behind his ear, the gesture so tender that Jared leans helplessly into it, turning his face into the warmth of Jensen’s palm. “Let’s just… let’s just call this a plan, OK? I’ll take you home, and tell your parents that we’re betrothed and that you’re coming with me. And then… and then we don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do. And when you know, Jared—when you’re ready to go off on your own without fear of repercussions, we can break the mating bond.”

“You’d do that for me?” Jared asks, astounded. Breaking a mating bond is one of the worst social stigmas. 

Jensen shrugs. “It doesn’t matter to me what people think, Jared. As long as you’re safe and happy, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help you. You can remain legally mated to me and live your own life, if that’s what you want.”

“I…” Jared shakes his head, feeling drained. “I don’t know. I can’t think that far ahead.”

“You don’t have to.” Jensen kisses his temple, his body warm and strong beside Jared’s. “Let’s take this one step at a time, OK?”

Jared nods, feeling like he’s run out of words. Jensen smiles brightly at him and tugs him to his feet. “Come on, let’s hit the road.”

The interior of the car is warm and already smells like Jensen and home. Jared knows that most of the secure feeling is just the biological reaction of his body and his pheromones to the closeness of an alpha whom he’s started bonding with.

“Hey,” Jensen says, as though sensing his thoughts. “You with me?” The car’s already purring softly, ready to go.

“Yeah.” Jared returns his smile, seeing nothing but sincerity and affection in the alpha’s face.

Jensen holds his gaze for a moment, and then slips off the silver ring he wears on his finger. “Give me your hand?”

“Jensen, what…”

“Humor me?”

Jared holds out his hand, and Jensen slips the ring onto the ring finger of Jared’s left hand. “There you go. That means I’m yours.” He gives Jared a wink. “At least in the eyes of the world.”

“I don’t deserve you. Even as my fake alpha,” Jared says, his hand still in Jensen’s, unable to think beyond how right it feels to have the weight of Jensen’s ring on his finger, the warmth of Jensen’s skin against his.

“Damn right you don’t, you little brat,” Jensen says with a grin, leaning in for a quick kiss. He lets go of Jared’s hand for a minute to put the car into drive, and as soon as they pull onto the highway he takes it again, their joined hands resting on Jensen’s thigh, the open road ahead of them like a promise.

 

-end-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I had other stuff planned for this fic, but this one's run its course for now. If possible, I may write a few timestamps in the future, but I'm not planning on writing anything further just yet. Thanks to those who left encouraging feedback.


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